Picture this: You’re a college student in Florida, juggling classes, a part-time job, and a social life. Then you find out you’re pregnant and discover that you may be past the legal limit for abortion in your state. What are your options? For many young women, this isn’t hypothetical. It’s a reality shaping their decisions, futures, and even their votes.
From roe to dobbs: how we got here
In 2022, the Supreme Court’s ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization overturned Roe v. Wade, leaving abortion rights up to the states. Since then, some states have either banned or severely restricted abortion, with 12 states imposing total bans and others โ including Florida โ limiting abortion to as early as six weeks. Additionally, access to contraception is currently being challenged, with ongoing efforts to roll back birth control coverage and defund Planned Parenthood clinics.
Why Gen Z is turning anger into action
It seems that these restrictions have had the greatest impact on young people. For college women, the stakes extend far beyond politics โ they affect where students decide to apply, whether they feel safe on campus, and even their mental health.
Research links abortion restrictions to higher rates of anxiety and depression among women, creating yet another barrier to academic success. While some universities offer reproductive health services, access is usually limited, forcing students to navigate complex health systems or seek out off-campus providers. Even then, cost, transportation, and privacy concerns make reproductive care difficult to access. With Planned Parenthood under constant threats of funding cuts, many students are left questioning if safe, accessible reproductive care will be available when they need it.
For Gen Z, this isn’t just policy โ it’s personal. Abortion and contraception access are deal-breaking issues in voting, especially for young women. According to PRPI, Gen Z is more progressive than older generations on many political and cultural issues, and expresses growing dissatisfaction with existing power structures. The anger and fear surrounding reproductive rights are fueling action, from student groups like Planned Parenthood Generation Action to campus protests and TikTok campaigns, all ensuring their voices are heard.
The ballot box is the new battleground
These campus challenges often translate into political action, as students recognize that policy change comes through the ballot box. Abortion rights have already driven voter turnout across the country, fueling victories for pro-choice measures in states like Michigan, Kansas, and Ohio. Florida’s 2024 election featured Amendment 4, a ballot initiative aimed at protecting abortion up to the point of fetal viability. It failed to pass under the state’s strict 60% threshold, but the campaign energized voters and sparked statewide conversations. Groups like the League of Women Voters continue to build on that engagement. Nationwide, women’s voter registration increased by 35% in the months following the Dobbs decision, highlighting how central reproductive rights are to civic participation.
For Gen-Z women, this fight is about more than health care. It’s about identity, freedom, and control over their own bodies. Reproductive rights tie directly to values like independence, equality, and safety โ core principles for this generation. That’s why it’s not just politicians who are being pressured to take a stand. Celebrities, brands, and even universities are being called out, with figures like Olivia Rodrigo, Phoebe Bridgers, and Michelle Obama using their platforms to demand change.
All of these factors point to one truth: Reproductive rights are no longer a side issue. They shape not only health policy, but the future of political power. For young women in Florida and beyond, voting may be the only way to take back control over their own lives.